Pumpkin Chia Pudding (Vegan)

Name: Pumpkin Chia Pudding
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup non-dairy milk of choice (we used unsweetened soy milk); ¾ cup canned pumpkin puree; ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract; ¼ to ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice; 4-6 pitted medjool dates or sweetener of choice (see note 2); ¼ cup chia seeds (see note 3)

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Pie in breakfast form, this Pumpkin Chia Pudding is a delicious vegan and gluten-free breakfast. You only need 5 minutes and a few ingredients to meal prep this easy and satisfying breakfast (or dessert!).

Jump to:

Why You’ll Love this Pumpkin Chia Pudding
Ingredients and Substitutions
How to Make Pumpkin Chia Pudding
Expert Tips
Serving Suggestions
Frequently Asked Questions
More Easy Vegan Breakfast Recipes!
Pumpkin Chia Pudding

Hey Internet, I’m really loving chia pudding, as you might already know. I especially love themed chia pudding, like my previous apple pie chia pudding.

I also have chocolate peanut butter chia pudding and lemon blueberry chia pudding. I love this stuff so much though you’ll probably be seeing a lot more vegan chia pudding recipes on the site in the future.

Easy breakfasts are my jam, too. My favorite easy breakfasts include my plant based pancakes, vegan omelette, blue smoothie bowl, vegan French toast sticks, vegan stuffed French toast featuring s’mores, tofu scramble, and of course my go-to vegan green smoothie.

This pumpkin chia pudding is loaded with fall flavor and is super creamy too. You’ll love this satisfying breakfast, though it also makes a great snack. Sometimes I eat it for dessert with a little vegan vanilla ice cream!

Vegan pumpkin chia pudding is actually super easy to make, too. All we’re going to do is blend up some ingredients, mix in our chia seeds, and chill!

Chia seeds are loaded with macro and micro nutrients, too. They are packed with omega fatty acids, calcium, fiber, protein, iron, magnesium, vitamins B1 (thiamine) and B3 (niacin), phosphorus, and zinc.

Chia pudding is also great for meal prep so you can make a bunch of them at the beginning of the week and enjoy one each day. It is completely grab and go.

This pumpkin chia pudding recipe is actually really EASY to meal prep since all you do is blend everything except the seeds, then stir in the seeds, and refrigerate. It will take you like 5 minutes, and you can do a batch or just one.

I think chia pudding is perfect for breakfast. It’s healthy and it will keep you going for many hours. It gives me a lot of sustained energy, too.

You can customize this recipe anyway you like. Use a different sweetener, a different plant milk, and any toppings you like. I used store-bought vegan whipped cream this time (I wanted the fancy look), but you can try my delicious aquafaba whipped cream if you want something homemade. Other great topping ideas include vegan yogurt, dairy-free chocolate chips, banana slices, toasted sliced almonds or candied pecans (or other nuts/seeds), or granola (try my coconut cacao granola).

Why You’ll Love this Pumpkin Chia Pudding

Quick and easy: All you have to do for this chia pudding recipe is blend up most of the ingredients, transfer to a jar or other container, mix in the chia seeds, and chill. I usually recommend at least two hours to let the chia seeds fully expand, creating a delicious and thick vegan pudding.
Kids will love it: It’s thick, sweet, and filling! If your kids are weird about texture, go ahead and blend the chia seeds and the pudding will just be smooth and thick.
Customizable: If you don’t have dates or your blender isn’t powerful enough to blend them smoothly, try maple syrup or agave instead! Sweeten to taste. Use your favorite non-dairy milk as well.
Great for meal prep: You can make more of these easily just by multiplying the recipe. The recipe card below shares the ingredients to make two servings of this pumpkin chia pudding, but you can easily double or triple the recipe. You can make as many as you have room for in your blender!

Ingredients and Substitutions

1 cup non-dairy milk of choice: I used unsweetened soy milk for this recipe, but you can use any you like such as almond milk, oat milk, or cashew milk. Keep in mind that if you buy sweetened non-dairy milk, you’ll need less added sweetener. I recommend blending and tasting before adding sweetener in this case.
¾ cup canned pumpkin puree: I recommend buying plain pumpkin puree (as opposed to pumpkin pie filling) so you can add your own sweetener and spice. You can also add more or less pumpkin puree to taste.
¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract: Don’t overdo this as it can give the pumpkin chia pudding a chemical or bitter taste. You can always add more (by a quarter teaspoon at a time) if you want a strong vanilla flavor. I think the ¼ teaspoon is just enough to taste it but not overwhelm the pumpkin flavor.
¼ to ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice: Again, this is to taste. I like it with ¼ teaspoon but my husband prefers a little more!
4-6 pitted medjool dates or sweetener of choice: You can use any sweetener you like in this recipe! I recommend a liquid sweetener like maple syrup or agave.
¼ cup chia seeds: White or black chia seeds are both fine.

How to Make Pumpkin Chia Pudding

Note: This recipe makes enough for two servings. Halve or increase the recipe (double, triple, etc.) depending on how many servings you want to make at one time. Pumpkin chia pudding lasts for 5-6 days in the fridge.
Add everything except the chia seeds to the blender and blend until smooth. (Note that if you don’t like the texture of expanded chia seeds, you can blend them with everything else.)
TASTE the mixture. If you like it, move on to step 4. If it’s not sweet enough, add another pitted medjool date or more of your chosen sweetener and blend again. You can also adjust the other items, like adding more vanilla or pumpkin pie spice as desired. Adjust until you are satisfied with the flavor.
Pour into 1 or 2 jars (I used these jars) or containers that you can cover and mix in the chia seeds thoroughly.
Cover and refrigerate your pumpkin pie chia pudding for at least 1-2 hours. If you’re in a hurry, you can check it after 30-60 minutes and it may be gelled enough for your tastes. You can also refrigerate these overnight so they’re ready for you first thing in the morning.

Expert Tips

Blending Dates Smoothly: If your medjool dates are hard and dry, soak them in just-boiled water for 20 minutes then drain the water. They should be easier to blend after that.
Using Flavored Milk: If your non-dairy milk is vanilla flavored, add less vanilla extract, blend, and taste. Add more if desired.
Using Sweetened Milk: Likewise, if your non-dairy milk is sweetened, add less sweetener, blend, and taste. Add more if desired.
Adjust Flavors To Taste: Taste the mixture before adding it to containers and mixing in the chia seeds. Now is a good time to adjust the flavors, sweetness, etc.
How To Get a Smooth Texture: If you don’t like the texture of chia seeds, blend them together with the rest of the ingredients. Note that it’s better to have a high speed blender for this so you can get the mixture very smooth.
How To Get The Right Consistency: We’re looking for a thin pancake batter consistency. If your mixture doesn’t pour well, mix in a little more non-dairy milk. It needs to be thin enough to allow the chia seeds to soak up moisture and expand.
How Long to Chill The Chia Pudding: Cover the pudding and refrigerate for at least two hours to allow the chia seeds to fully expand. I like to wait at least two hours for a very thick pumpkin pie chia pudding.

Serving Suggestions

Plant Based Yogurt: Use your favorite dairy-free yogurt. My husband loves vanilla coconut yogurt. I prefer to use my own unsweetened soy yogurt and add a tiny drizzle of maple syrup.
Dairy-Free Whipped Cream: For more sweetness and a little fun, add a little of your favorite vegan whipped cream on top! I like to sprinkle a little pumpkin pie spice on top of the whipped cream. Aquafaba whipped cream is a good homemade option.
Vegan Vanilla Ice Cream: For a special treat, try a scoop of plant based vanilla ice cream. My husband and I love the brand So Delicious Dairy Free Ice Cream.
Granola: An almond butter granola would be perfect on top of this pumpkin chia pudding. I sometimes customize my homemade coconut cacao granola this way.
Nuts or Seeds: Chopped nuts (or candied pecans/walnuts for a treat) are great on top of chia pudding. Raw pumpkin seeds (link) would be very nice here.
Dairy-Free Chocolate Chips: Any vegan chocolate chips will work. I would top this with Enjoy Life Mini Dairy-Free Chocolate Chips, which are allergen friendly and available in most grocery stores.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Store Chia Pudding?

Store the pumpkin chia pudding in an airtight container (or multiple containers) for up to 5 days. Once you chill for the initial two hours, the pudding will stay nice and thick for several days.

What are chia seeds?

Chia seeds are the tiny seeds from a plant native to Mexico and Guatemala known as Salvia hispanica. They can expand to 10 times their size when wet! Chia seeds are often used as a binder in baking but they’re also great in chia pudding.

Are chia seeds healthy?

Yes! Besides containing a good amount of protein, fiber, and healthy fats, chia seeds are packed with other micronutrients such as calcium, antioxidants, and omega fatty acids which are great for brain health.

Is chia seed pudding healthy?

Yes, it is as long as you put healthy stuff in it! I prefer to naturally sweeten my chia seed pudding using pitted medjool dates. Other refined-sugar-free options include maple syrup, blackstrap molasses (though this is a pretty strong flavor and may overwhelm the pumpkin flavor), and date syrup.

Can I blend the chia seeds with the rest of the ingredients for a smooth texture?

Yes, absolutely. Some people do not like the texture of chia seeds and that’s OK! I do recommend a high speed blender (link) if you want to make sure your chia pudding is super smooth.

Are there other flavors of chia seed pudding?

I do indeed have many different chia seed pudding recipes on the blog and am coming up with more all the time! Have an idea for a flavor you’d like to see? Message me on Instagram (my username is zardyplants and I will add it to my list!

More Easy Vegan Breakfast Recipes!

<3 Liz

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